How I Work with Diversity

 

Awareness of cultural mores, traditions and customs

• not expecting direct eye contact with some Pacific peoples

• the importance of family, especially parents/elders, in educational, career and life decision-making

• making use of aspects that are common to many cultures, e.g. story-telling and food

• using examples of people from different parts of the world

 

Working with people for whom English is not their first language (ESOL)

• minimising unnecessarily complex language in written and oral communication. A good example of this is in CV workshops - a challenging topic because language is absolutely critical. For such situations, I find it helpful to allow ESOL students more time, to pair them with native English speakers, and to ensure that instructions are given in written as well as oral form

• being aware of idioms and sayings that are Kiwi, and explaining if needed

• allowing extra time for reading and writing tasks, where possible

 

Sensitivity to religious and spiritual beliefs

• for example, with Moslem students, being aware that they may be fasting during the holy month of Ramadan and not organising shared lunches during this time

• selecting video clips and other media that are neutral or non-biaised regarding spirituality 

 

Age

• older people: using their experience to enrich classroom discussions, e.g. as with Case Study 1

• younger people: not making the assumption that they have had certain life experiences; allowing for youthful exuberance and for them to 'find their place'

 

Gender

• checking that oral and written communication are gender neutral or that a balance is maintained

• exploring with students both male and female interpretations of learning and course content

• in research activities, encouraging students to explore gender issues where a choice of topics is offered

 

Stage/Life circumstances

• being aware if people are parents (particularly solo parents), or have barriers such as illness, financial difficulty, relationship issues, etc. Arranging for extra time for assignments where appropriate.

 

Ability/Disability

• allowing for mixed ability levels and allowing for this in in-class activities and in assessments

• maintaining a good overview the signs of common areas of disability and referring student on to other services if appropriate

 

Learning Styles

• ensuring that resources and learning experiences allow for a range of learning styles and preferences, by including visual, video, discussion and practical activities - guided by VARK preferences